The Philadelphia 76ers made a bit of a controversial move on draft night in 2018 when they selected local Villanova product Mikal Bridges at 10 overall and then flipped him to the Phoenix Suns for Zhaire Smith, who was picked 16th.
It was a move that was met with ire from the local fan base who were hoping that Bridges would remain in Philadelphia and give the Sixers a blend of scoring and shooting. Instead, the fans had to settle for Smith, a young, raw product out of Texas Tech who had his rookie season cut to just six games due to a Jones fracture and then an allergic reaction in December.
In his second season, Smith was expecting to battle for a spot in the rotation, but with the emergence of rookie Matisse Thybulle, the Sixers sent him to the team’s G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, to continue his development. In 11 games in Delaware, Smith is averaging 13.5 points and 3.9 rebounds, but he hasn’t been able to make a big impact like everybody thought he would.
Recently, the Blue Coats participated in the G League Showcase in Las Vegas and The Athletic’s John Hollinger has a strong opinion on Smith. Hollinger wrote:
Smith was a 2018 first-round pick of the Sixers who missed nearly all of last season due to a severe food allergy reaction. He’s only 20, but has struggled to make an impact even in G League games due to his limited skill level. A phenomenal leaper who does his best work in transition, the 6-4 Smith’s skill level hasn’t nearly caught up with his leaping ability – right now he’s basically a 4 in a 2’s body. The surprising part is that he hasn’t been able to bring his athleticism to bear, even in places you’d expect to see it – he rarely draws fouls, for instance, and his rates of blocks, steals and rebounds in the G League have been unremarkable.
The Sixers did pick up Smith’s option for the 2020-21 season so it signals one of two things, either they still have plans for him or it makes it easier to move him. With the emergence of Thybulle and rookie Marial Shayok still waiting in the wings with his impressive play, it makes one really wonder about where Smith factors into the Sixers for the future. [lawrence-related id=21987,21972,21964]